Bowling pin



Patented July 15, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOSEPH W. BISHOP, OF MUSKEGON HEIGHTS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE BRUNS- WICK-BALKE-COLLENDER COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION' OF DELAWARE BOWLING Pm Application led February 7, 1927. Serial No. 166,494.

My invention relates to bowling pins and has for its object to improve the durability of that portion of the pin on which the pin rests when upright.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a complete pin with the lower portion in section;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plane view of the base element; and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the base element.

In the embodiment of the invention selected for illustration the pin comprises a body 10 of the usual configuration having a central axial bore 12 and an annular groove 14 radially spaced from said aXial bore to leave an intervening tubular portion 16. The base element supporting the body comprises an annular main portion 18 entered in the groove 14. The pin is usually made of wood or various compositions, and I prefer to make the base of hard rubber. I have discovered that setting the base in the annular groove as above described makes it possible to fasten the base in so it will stay tight. I believe the reason for this to be that when changes in temperature or humidity take place the pin and base expand or contract differently; if the relative changes represent a relative decrease in the dimensions of the base the inner surface of the groove will be gripped tightly by the inner surface of the base; while if the changes represent a relative increase in the size of the base a similar gripping action will occur over the other surfaces. It will be obvious that in this type of construction differential thermal expansion must be compensated for by the tightness of the fit only over the radial thickness of the annulus 18, rather than over the diameter of the base.

The base is continued down as at 20 substantially below the lower end of the body 10,

so that the base functions as the sole support for the weight of the pin. The base also'has an annular shoulder 22 abutting the lower end of the tubular portion 16. The inner surface 24 of this shoulder forms a continuation of the bore 12, and a tapered portion 26 joins this bore opening t'o the fiat bottom surface 20.

The wear resisting qualities of the base are superior to those of the body 10. It will be noted that the lower end of the bore 12 is also defined by the base. When the pin is in position, its alignment with respect to the vertical is determined by the surface 20, and the positioning element entering the bore 12 determines its position in the horizontal plane only. Therefore, so long as the surface 24 has not been appreciably enlarged by wear, enlargement of the bore 12 farther up is immaterial.

Whenever the surfaces 20 or 24 become materially worn', it is possible to replace the base and the pin is as good as new.

Without further elaboration the foregoing will so fully explain the invention that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service. It will be obvious that it is not necessary that all the features described be employed in conjunction, as they may ad.- vantageously be utilized in various combinations and sub-combinations.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. The combination with a bowling pin having a blind axial bore at the bottom for receiving a positioning element, of a base of hard wear resisting material comprising an annulus of larger internal diameter than that of said bore, said pin having an annular bottom groove encircling said bore and receiving said base, said base being/of material having thermal expansion properties and sensitiveness to humidity differing from the material of said pin, said base projecting downwardly beyond the lower end of said pin and having an inside shoulder dening the lower end only of said axial bore.

2. The combination with a bowling pin havin a blind axial bore at the bottom for receivlng a positioning element, of a base of hard wear resisting material comprising an annulus of largerinternal diameter than that of said bore, said pin having an annular bottom groove encircling said bore and receiving said base, said base having an inside shoulder defining the lower end only of said axial bore.

3. The combination with a bowling pin having a blind axial bore at the bottom for receiving a positioning element, of a base of integral projection hard wear resisting material comprising an annulus of larger internal diameter than that of said bore, said pin having an annular bot tom groove encircling said'bore and receiving said base, said annular groove being of greater depth than width, said base being of material having thermal expansion properties differing from the material of said pin, and having an enlarged bottom portion on which the pin normally rests.

4. The combination with a wooden bowling pin having a recess in the bottom thereof, a. hollow base of hard wear-resisting material, said pin having a cylindrical downward integral projection fitting snugly in the interior of said base, the outer side oi said base being cylindrical and itting snugly against an outer portion of said pin, said outer portion projecting below the lower end of said extension.

5. The combination with a wooden bowling in having a recess in the bottom thereof, of a ollow base of hard wear-resisting material, said pin having a cylindrical downward fitting snugly in the interior of said base, said base and said pin having an axial bore therethrough which ares outwardly in said base for receiving a positioning element, the outer portion of said pin having an inner cylindrical surface fitting snugly against the outer surface of said base, said outer portion of said pin projecting below the lower end of said extension.

6.11m combination a wooden bowling pin having a blind axial bore for receiving a positionmg element and an annular ottom groove encirclin said .bore adjacent its lower end and a circu ar base of nonmetallic material harder than thebodyof the pin so as to be resistant to wear butlnot so hard as to substantially damage pins which may strike against it, said base being of different thermal expansion properties than the body of the pin and having a circular portion fitting securely in said groove and a bottom portion on which the pin normally rests and which extends inwardly towards said bore and is provided with a hole the wall of which is aligned with that of said bore.

JOSEPH W. BISHOP. 

